The Executive Director of the High-Speed Rail Alliance, Rick Harnish, urged Rotarians to help “Reconstruct America” through high-speed rail during Wednesday’s meeting. His talk explained what is needed to accomplish the high-speed passenger rail infrastructure and examples of what it looks like in other countries. Harnish also included an update on significant high-speed rail projects in the U.S. He said it will build stronger communities, lower carbon emissions, and help reduce government transportation spending.
Harnish said there are three types of track used for high-speed rail. These are shared use lines (used for both passenger and freight trains), regional lines (passenger-focused rail but with speed limited by stops or construction), and full high-speed lines (designed for the fastest passenger service possible). He said when speeds get to be faster than 90 miles per hour a separate track is needed and when speeds exceed 126 miles an hour the line needs to be electrified. The fastest train in the U.S. is the Acela which services the Washington, D.C., Boston, New York corridor at speeds of 90 to 160 miles per hour. In France one route has trains speeding at 205 miles per hour. Illinois has a shared track route from Chicago to St. Louis under development. Ultimately, plans call for eight trains a day at speeds of 90 miles per hour. Currently, there are five trains a day with the trip taking roughly five hours and 30 minutes (for an average speed of 55 miles per hour).
Harnish shared updates on projects in Florida, California, and the northwestern U.S./Canada. The private development company Brightline is constructing rail links from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The network was scheduled for full opening in 2022 but has suffered Covid-19 delays. This same company is doing a connection in California and Nevada from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Federal and State transportation dollars are being used to upgrade rail speeds in the Northwest corridor from Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia. A study for this development showed highway construction would be twice the cost of rail improvements to move the same number of people and that rail would reduce travel times in half.
Harnish urged support for a fully integrated development plan for high-speed rail that links major airports, like O’Hare in Chicago. More information is on their website at https://www.hsrail.org.
Harnish said there are three types of track used for high-speed rail. These are shared use lines (used for both passenger and freight trains), regional lines (passenger-focused rail but with speed limited by stops or construction), and full high-speed lines (designed for the fastest passenger service possible). He said when speeds get to be faster than 90 miles per hour a separate track is needed and when speeds exceed 126 miles an hour the line needs to be electrified. The fastest train in the U.S. is the Acela which services the Washington, D.C., Boston, New York corridor at speeds of 90 to 160 miles per hour. In France one route has trains speeding at 205 miles per hour. Illinois has a shared track route from Chicago to St. Louis under development. Ultimately, plans call for eight trains a day at speeds of 90 miles per hour. Currently, there are five trains a day with the trip taking roughly five hours and 30 minutes (for an average speed of 55 miles per hour).
Harnish shared updates on projects in Florida, California, and the northwestern U.S./Canada. The private development company Brightline is constructing rail links from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The network was scheduled for full opening in 2022 but has suffered Covid-19 delays. This same company is doing a connection in California and Nevada from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Federal and State transportation dollars are being used to upgrade rail speeds in the Northwest corridor from Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia. A study for this development showed highway construction would be twice the cost of rail improvements to move the same number of people and that rail would reduce travel times in half.
Harnish urged support for a fully integrated development plan for high-speed rail that links major airports, like O’Hare in Chicago. More information is on their website at https://www.hsrail.org.